Conduct research which quantifies the efficacy of a variety of pathogen destruction technologies.

Descriptions

Background:Whilst anaerobic digestion is generally thought to kill many pathogens, there are some (oocysts and protozoa) that are particularly difficult to eliminate. As part of a larger project using anaerobic digestion to treat dog waste, this piece of work is designed to identify the most viable pre-treatment method considering cost effectiveness and economics of energy demand whilst maintaining pathogen destruction(kill).Project aims:1. Establish background pathogen levels in 10 dog waste samples(provided by the contractor), particularly with regard to oocysts and protozoa.2. Establish, for the purposes of sizing/costing AD treatment potential, a representative DM, VS, BMP C:N ratio for dog waste alone, and co digested with grass.3. Assess, through a literature review, potential treatment methods/candidate technologies for pathogen destruction (kill) in dog waste and any other method identified by the literature review that can be reasonably investigated within the project time and budget constraints.4. Conduct empirical laboratory trials into candidate technologies employing a number of appropriate variables that maintain pathogen kill:a. Temperatureb. Pressurec. Timed. Anaerobic digestion i. Retention time ii. Mesophilic / Thermophilic5. Review most appropriate method into a systemic product offering.6. All literature review information, experimental methods, results and interpretations, and the final assessment of pre-treatment methods are to be provided in a technical report to be delivered to the client.